By Potipher Tembo –
AS Zambia is headed for the general elections on August 11, 2016, the Police Retirees Association of Zambia (PRAZ) has been created and hopes to assist the Police Service in curbing political violence which has become so prevalent in recent times in the country.
The idea of forming the association was mooted way back in 2005 by concerned retired police officers who thought there was need to bring all the retired officers together and mobilise them so that they could work together with the current serving officers.
The brain-child of the association, Hendrix Mufaya, who is also its president, said in Ndola that he, together with other concerned retired police officers realised that there were very few serving officers around the country, but the retired officers who are spread throughout the country could contribute if they worked hand in hand with current serving officers because they had the experience.
Apart from contributing to the nation, Dr Mufaya said PRAZ was also formed in a bid to assist retired police officers most of whom had become destitute after spending all their pension benefits.
“Realising how some retired police officers become destitute when they are on retirement, we formed PRAZ not only in the hope of assisting the police service in curbing violence and other criminal activities in the nation, but to also look at the welfare of our fellow retired officers who become destitute after spending their money. The idea of forming the association was started way back in 2005 but could not take off until 10 years later in 2015 when it was finally registered,’’ said Dr Mufaya.
He said founder members of the association include former senior police officers who came together to form PRAZ after finding the miserable way of life some retired police officers were subjected to after being out of employment.
‘’We found that when most police officers went on retirement, they were not adequately prepared in any way , and as a result, they squandered all their money resulting in them and their families leading miserable lives,’’ said Dr Mufaya.
He explained that the association would endeavour to prepare retired officers by way of training them in certain skills and businesses.
‘’The association has plans to initiate some projects which would be supported by the funds contributed by the members,’’ he said.
Dr Mufaya hinted that the association would also go into income generating projects by setting up businesses in various localities around the country.
‘’We hope to mobilise resources from our members. Each member is required to make a monthly contribution of K10. The association will fund the project out of the membership contributions and in turn, the businesses will be managed by the retirees.
‘’We also intend to create revolving funds which would help the retirees through running businesses. Instead of borrowing from money lenders, they would use revolving funds which they would be paying back as soft loans from the association,” explained Dr Mufaya.
However, he pointed out that the PRAZ was not only meant for retired police officers, but those in other services like the prisons, the immigration and the police reserves.
Dr Mufaya said the operations strategy was to establish district and provincial structures throughout the country beginning with the Copperbelt.
‘’We also intend to take inventory of all police retirees, especially those with skills. They are the cream of society. There are lawyers, doctors, researchers, lecturers, crime investigators, engineers and many others. These people can contribute a lot to the country. They could be retired, but their services could still be valid,’’ said Dr Mufaya.
He said apart from having so many members who could be useful in the community, the association had a number of former inspector generals, commissioners, and deputy commissioners of police.
‘’Currently, we have eight inspector generals namely Ephraim Mateyo, Francis Njobvu, Zunga Siakalima, Cyrus Ngangula, Francis Musonda, Martin Malama, Francis Kabonde and Stella Libongani in addition to commissioners and deputy commissioners and many seniors with vast experience who can contribute to the country in terms of security,’’ said Dr Mufaya.
He lamented that the association was saddened when such vast experienced and learned people retired, they fade into insignificance and they were forgotten and died quietly without anyone remembering their contributions.
He was echoed by former Ndola and Mufulira District Officer Commanding, Stephen Simasiku who is PRAZ general secretary.
Mr Simasiku said the association wished to improve on the sad state of affairs former men and women in uniform faced once they were retired,
‘’This association wishes to improve on this state of affairs so that our heroes in the police service should be recognised even after they have retired. In fact, we want police officers to retire and live with their dignity until they die,’’ said Mr Simasiku.
He explained that the association’s vision was to see that a well established PRAZ providing social, economic and moral support to its members.
‘’We also intend to establish an ultra-modern security system where police officers can continue providing security service skills to contribute to better levels of peace and security in the country, especially during this time when we are headed for elections.
“As an executive, it is our desire that all police retirees should come to support this association so that we build it to achieve its intended objectives,’’ added Mr Simasiku.
He pointed out that it was saddening to see that most security firms had been established by people who did not have any experience in this area and yet there were retired police officers with vast experience who could set up these security firms.
”A lot of security firms run by people without experience have mushroomed and yet there are well trained people who could form them. We are the right people to form such kind of firms in order to supplement government in as far as security is concerned, especially in this year of elections.
“Instead, some retired police officers are employed as security guards by the security firms run by inexperienced people,’’ said Mr Simasiku.
He lamented that it was saddening to see some retired police officers employed as watch men in some places such as beer halls and bars.
Dr Mufaya and Mr Simasiku said some retired police officers became too excited when they got their retirement benefits and abandoned their families.
‘’They marry new wives, buy vehicles, sleep in hotels when they don’t have homes of their own. A few years later, they get into abject poverty and acquire diseases in the process and their new wives abandon them and they sell their cars at give away prices to start life afresh but that is too late, However, there are some ex-officers who have demonstrated that they can do better after retirement,’’ said Dr Mufaya.
He said it was for this reason that he, together with other retired police officers decided to form PRAZ in the bid of transforming the lives of wayward officers.
‘’We are intending to prepare them so that they plan well for their future in terms of shelter, entrepreneurship skills and farming which is a major component to increase their life span and make them realise that there is life after retirement,’’ Dr Mufaya said.
The association would undertake the programme to curb political violence, political intimidation and tribalism in order to contribute to the maintenance or law, peace and order.
‘’We will also participate in programmes of voter education and conflict resolutions and gender based violence,’’ Dr Mufaya pointed out.
Indeed the PRAZ has come at the time when the country is embroiled in acts of all sorts of violence which should not be allowed in the nation well known for its peaceful nature.
The intended purpose of PRAZ should be welcome by all peace loving Zambians.